We are 3 Grunts Productions, LLC (http://www.3gruntsproductions.com/) a diverse, minority company based out of Columbus, Ohio. We are trying to raise funds to complete post production of our 25-minute short film about how the policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell/Defense of Marriage Act affects the families of gay and lesbian soldiers. It's called Survived by...
It takes a poignant look at one fictional family in the year 2006. The film begins with the military funeral of Army Staff Sergeant Alana Ridings. During the somber ceremony, we transition to a few days earlier when the National Guard chaplain comes to the home to provide information and comfort to the soldier's mother. While she is there, the chaplain discovers that SSG Ridings, who was killed in combat while assisting a marine unit searching Iraqi insurgents, was a lesbian with a "wife" and a (non-biological) child. SSG Riding's mother discusses the inequity of the DADT/DOMA policies as they pertain to SSG Riding's widow and daughter, who have sacrificed just as much as any military family and now will get none of the benefits, programs or grief counseling afforded to the families of other heroes killed in action.
Through this film, we would like to make people aware that the repeal of DADT was great but there is still a problem if the spouse/partner/children's rights aren't also equal to that of all military dependents. The time for this film is now while the topic is hot and highly misunderstood.
We have already spread the word through showing and sending our trailer to friends and relevant organizations, uploading it on You Tube and the Survived by... fan page on Facebook and Twitter and the Survived by... website. We have sold t-shirts that advertise the film (under the original title, Requiem: A Soldier's Tale, and we have successfully put together a local fundraiser that raised the money to get the movie filmed. We previewed a rough cut last month in Orlando and we received several responses of "I've experienced that" from some military members and "I never thought of the issue in those terms" from civilians. Opening a fence-sitter's eyes on this subject is the best reward we can have.
The money we hope to raise will go for remaining production costs, expenses for post-production and entry fees for independent film festivals around the country.
Our purpose at 3 Grunts Productions is twofold; we would like to make the films that nobody else will make; the kind of films that represent the vast minorities that are so often misrepresented in the sensationalizing media.
Soldiers fight and die for our country, regardless of their orientation. Shouldn't their families be equally compensated for their loved one's ultimate sacrifice?